In 1628, Andrey Dubensky, along with 300 Cossacks found a favorable place for building a fortress on the tongue of the land between the Katcha and the Yenisei Rivers. The fortress was built to guard the south-eastern borders of the expanding Russian Empire and to collect tribute from the local nomadic tribes of Tatars.
It was named Krasny Yar after the reddish color of the high and steep banks of the Yenisei river composed mainly of red clay. Krasnoyarsk today is the capital of a giant region and one of the biggest cultural, industrial and scientific centers of Eastern Siberia. It draws tourists and rock climbers from afar mainly to the "Stolby" State Nature Reserve. There are about 100 granite pillars in the Reserve, some reach 100 meters (328 feet) high. Many have names for their unique shapes.
For example "Lion Gates", "The Old Man", "The Miter", "Feathers" and "Takmak". All together, the pillars and beautiful surrounding mountains covered with Taiga forests make Krasnoyarsk and surrounding area attractive for tourist in interested in ecology, climbing, sightseeing and hiking.